


The Mirror Has Two Faces

by orphan_account



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - Coffee Shops & Cafés, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Arranged Marriage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Professor Ben Solo, Romance, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-07-30
Packaged: 2019-06-18 14:40:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15488082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Rey’s gaze wandered toward the man in questions; a hulking male figure with dark penetrative eyes and a wide mouth spoke loudly, projecting his deep baritone voice that reverberated around the room like a thunderstorm.He wore a black fitted cable-knit sweater with dark blue denim jeans that hugged his backside in all the right ways and finished his look with a pair of shiny black wide boots on his huge feet.Wow, he really was big.His face was also not too bad to look at either.Rey still could not for the life of her understand how someone with an ornate face such as his, prominent yet slightly protruding nose, sensual full lips, smooth pale skin peppered with small beauty marks, a full head of almost shoulder length thick dark locks and a pair of pretty eyes to match could be such a raging, ginormous asshole.





	The Mirror Has Two Faces

The Mirror Has Two Faces

An arranged marriage Reylo AU

 

Chapter 1

Late May Pt 1

 

 

 

“A little more pesto mayo on that one, please Finn.”

 

Finn smeared a bit more of the spread onto the croissant before closing the sandwich and cutting it in half.

 

“You know how he gets if it’s not absolutely perfect and I’m sure you’re not going to want to come back here to make the same thing all over again after being torn a new one by ‘mister holier-than-thou’.”

 

Finn snickered at Rey as he begrudgingly wrapped the sandwich in saran and set it aside next to a fancy bottle of alkaline water and packet of rosemary flavored kettle cooked potato chips.

 

“Rey, why can’t _you_ do this delivery? He likes you better than he likes me.” He said with a plaintive look at his best friend.

 

“You’re joking, right?” Rey responded with a bemused smirk. “The only thing that man likes is the look of sheer terror on the face of a poor unsuspecting student when they get caught using their phone in the middle of one of his classes.”

 

Rey busied herself with packing up a large hand-held basket with muffins and cookies and the like to take along with the lunch orders on the off chance one of her customers was in the mood for something sweet.

 

“Besides, I’m sure you’ll want to deliver a kiss to your beloved along with his lunch.”

 

Finn’s boyfriend, Poe was the head of the Science department of the University across the street.

 

A small smile paired with an overly dramatic eye roll graced Finn’s dark features.

 

“We’ve been together for 2 years now, Rey. I assure you the honeymoon phase is over.”

 

Rey gave him a raised eyebrow and her 100-mega watt smile.

 

“Mmhmm. Then why did I catch you two making out in the back when he was _supposed_ to be helping you install the new shelving unit in the stock room?”

 

Finn turned to Rey wide eyed. His limbs stilled as he attempted to brush leftover crumbs off of his hands.

 

“You knew about that?!”

 

“Women always figure out the truth.” She said in a deadpan tone. “Now get going before mister-you-know-who calls to inquire about his organic free range roasted chicken sandwich with pesto mayo, sundried tomatoes and arugula on slightly toasted whole wheat bread that we had to substitute for a slightly toasted croissant since he decided to call in his order at the very dead end of the lunch rush and had already run out of whole wheat.” Rey went back to organizing the large handheld basket of treats.

 

“Waaaaait a minute…you want me to take this to _him_ and it’s not even the very specific exact thing he ordered? You’re out of your mind. Why didn’t you call him back and tell him we ran out?”

 

“I tried,” she explained, “but he didn’t answer. I assume he had started up his lecture already and by the time it was over and I finally got a hold of him, he might’ve been really hungry. I made a judgment call; Croissant.”

 

 “You’re too nice, Rey. Who cares if he’s hungry? Not always getting what he wants won’t kill the guy.”

 

Rey was _always_ too nice. A character flaw from birth, it both hindered and enabled her to always be the good guy in most situations, usually putting her feelings, wants and needs lastly to everybody else’s thus ensuring the happiness of those around her. If everybody else was focused on their own happiness, they wouldn’t be able to see how utterly despondent she was from the raw ache of loneliness that lay dormant on her soul like a cancer. It was because of this character flaw that Rey had never let anybody in. Never let anybody get too close or herself, too comfortable.

In the end, they would always leave. Finn and Rose were the only exception to this rule and even now, she always knew that they would move on with their lives eventually, leaving her behind. At least she’d have the knowledge that they were happy or at least she’d make damn sure that they were come hell or high water!

 

“Like I said,” Rey continued, not quite meeting Finn’s eyes. “I made a judgment call.”

 

“Okay, then here’s my judgment call.” Finn said as he divided up the orders in two.

 

“Here. You can take him _his_ along with Rose’s and I’ll take the rest of the campus orders along with Poe’s. Most of these orders are for the West Campus anyway near the science department.  That way, we’ll be able to both come back here and close up together a little early before tonight. Deal?”

 

Tonight, Rey, Finn, Poe, Rose and her husband Eric were going to meet up at Jakku’s. A local watering hole they frequented with a good happy hour and even better IPA’s.

 

“Finnnnnn” she whined, slumping over dramatically in defeat. She could certainly use that beer right about now.

 

“Like I said peanut…he likes you better than me.”

 

She couldn’t argue there. Mister ‘stick-up-his-bottom’ really hated when they screwed up his lunch order. And he also really, _really_ hated Finn.

 

 

 

***  


It was a beautiful end of spring day. One of those sunny, warm and vibrant days that was so, _so_ close to being _almost_ summer that Rey could feel it in her bones. The heat of the sun kissed her skin as she made her way across the street to the East Campus of the University.

 

There was a pep in her step as she closed her eyes and inhaled the tell tale scent of freshly mowed grass and honeysuckle that only summer could bring.

 

But the weather wasn’t the only thing responsible for Rey’s raised spirits. The mere fact that her best friend was about to be whisked away to a surprise trip to Europe by the man he was madly in love with only to finish the trip by proposing on the Mediterranean coast _might_ also have something to do with it. Rey never thought she could be happier for another person and nobody deserved happiness more than Finn. He was the closest to family she had ever known.  Although she was well aware that this new change would leave her once again on her own, the love that her two friends carried for one another outweighed Rey’s own fears.

 

Rey, she knew, would never get married. For one, she was well aware of her own internal struggles to realize that she might never be able to let anybody in completely enough that _they_ might want to marry _her_.  She’s not sure she would make a very good wife anyway. She felt that she was too unstable, too emotional and too up tight. Things always had to be _just_ right and she needed to be in control at all times in almost all situations that involved her mind or body. Finn on the other hand would make a fantastic spouse.  He was dependable, warm, inviting, caring and above all else; loyal. Loyalty ran thick in Finn’s veins like raw honey. Poe was a very lucky man.

 

It had been a year since she and Finn sold every last belonging they had to afford to open the café. One year next week to be exact.

Memorial Day Weekend was now the one year anniversary of the grand opening of Niima Coffee & Café. Rey and Finn couldn’t be prouder of themselves.

 

The pair had met a few years back after Rey finally saved up enough money from waiting tables in a run down tea shop in her dreary hometown in England to afford a plane ticket to The States. She backpacked around for a few months, staying in hostels and cheap budget hotels until she met Finn working under the table as a bar back in a not quite zagat-rated steak house in NYC. They became fast friends and after securing herself a permanent resident visa, she and Finn moved to New England to rent a tiny little place together, both working odd jobs until they could afford their silly dream of opening up a café and finally being in charge of their own lives.

 

However that silly dream was now a reality. It was tough in the beginning, selling every last thing they owned was a small sacrifice to make to being able to afford the down payment. The loan had been hard enough to secure, not to mention the up front costs they needed for inspections and renovations. Somehow, they were able to pull it all together in the end.

 

Sure they struggled at first, being able to afford the good blend coffee and teas and ingredients to make the best muffins and cookies but now that they were a bit more settled, they were really starting to be a well known spot in the quaint sleepy little town that housed one of New England’s most prestigious Colleges.

 

The campus of **Skywalker** **University** was massive. With green lawns sweeping across the length of the old brick early American building, landscaped with manicured gardens sprinkled with colorful perennials was that out of a story book. With its many windows that lined the buildings entrance framed by classic black shutters, it was no wonder that students from all over hurried to apply year after year based on esthetics alone.

Not to mention that it was a very good school. While it was no Yale or Harvard, Skywalker University held it’s own with its Science and English departments.

 

Rey meandered along the stone path that lead up to the main doors. She ascended the steps, pulling the grand door open and hurried inside, looking for _his_ classroom.

 

A few corridors down, a left, a right and another left, Rey stopped in front of ‘Room 111’, took a deep breath and opened the door.

 

Upon entering the room, she realized that the lecture was still in progress. Rey took the first seat by the door, placing the basket of orders at her feet and patiently waited for the dismissal of class, fidgeting just a little with an errant string on the cuff of her light green and black paisley long sleeved sundress, her soft wavy chestnut locks obscuring her face from view slightly.

 

She was always nervous when she made this delivery but today she felt even more on edge. Maybe it was because it was the last of day’s deliveries, maybe it was because it was warmer out than she realized and her dress wasn’t quite warm weather appropriate. Perhaps it was the excitement of Finn’s impending engagement or the fact that he’d be leaving for the summer to travel, leaving her to tend shop all by herself. Or maybe, _just maybe_ ,  it was all to do with the man currently pacing slowly back and forth, hands clasped tightly behind his back while addressing a class full of listless looking students whose facial expressions all read the exact same message;

 

_'Bored shitless.'_

 

Rey’s gaze wandered toward the man in questions; a hulking male figure with dark penetrative eyes and a wide mouth spoke loudly, projecting his deep baritone voice that reverberated around the room like a thunderstorm. Passionately speaking about something Rey found terribly boring.

 

_'Poetry.'_

 

He wore a black fitted cable-knit sweater with dark blue denim jeans that hugged his backside in all the right ways and finished his look with a pair of shiny black wide boots on his huge feet. Wow, he really was _big._

His face was also not too bad to look at either.

Rey still could not for the life of her understand how someone with an ornate face such as his, prominent yet slightly protruding nose, sensual full lips, smooth pale skin peppered with small beauty marks, a full head of almost shoulder length thick dark locks and a pair of pretty eyes to match could be such a raging, ginormous…

“Mister Mitaka!”

 

Rey startled at the change in his vocal octave.

 

“I thought I made it very clear that while you are in my class, that thing is to be off and put away and if I saw it, it was to then become mine to do with as I please!”

 

The dark haired, pale faced student snapped to attention in his seat, spine erect as Professor Benjamin Solo startled him out of his reverie.

 

“Well, let’s see what exactly is more important than learning about 18th Century Poetry this afternoon.”

 

Professor Solo crossed the cavernous lecture room with quick, long strides. He removed the phone from the students hand with a slight tug from the younger mans grasp and glanced at the distraction in question. An open Tumblr page with questionable fanart of the male characters from Game of Thrones in very compromising positions lay open as he looked back to the now red faced Mitaka.

 

“Hmm…it seems that if _this_ is your style, perhaps Oscar Wilde would have been a better character choice for your paper on ‘Romantic Poets Influenced by Social and Political Atmosphere’ instead of Keats.” He berated. “Although,” he continued, “I’m surprised that you weren’t a complete cliché and chose Sylvia Plath.”

 

A few _‘oohs’_ and low whistles made their way across the classroom as Mitaka was handed back his phone, his eyes averted from the taller man’s gaze.

 

 _‘…asshole.’_ Rey finished her thought.

 

The professor made his way back to front of the lecture room.

 

“On that note ladies and gentleman, that will conclude today’s lecture. Be sure to thank Mister Mitaka for making your 10 page paper now stand firmly at 15.  Anyone else caught using their phones during class will add another 5 each time. That’ll be all. Class dismissed.”

 

The room irrupted in grunts of frustration and moans of disapproval as Mitaka snatched up his belongings fast as his limbs would allow and all but sprinted out of the room before any of his fellow classmates could further verbalize their grief.

 

Rey felt sorry for the poor kid. She narrowed her hazel eyes at the cranky professor and got up out of her seat, narrowly dodging the remaining students as they hurried out of the classroom.

 

As Rey approached the front of the class, Professor Solo eyed her as he gathered his papers from the podium.

 

“Professor Solo, your lunch—“

 

“You can leave it on the desk.” He interrupted.

 

“—order.” She finished. “Okay, then.”

 

Rey went over and laid his sandwich, water and chips on his desk. Turning to leave she remembered—

 

“Oh! I forgot,” she turned to face him at the podium once more, “we were out of whole wheat so I hope you don’t mind, I put it on a croissant instead.”  


Professor Solo didn’t look at her as he continued to pack up.  


“Business not doing all that well?"

  
“I’m sorry?” Rey asked, thoroughly confused and slightly taken aback by the random personal question.  


He glanced quickly in her direction and then returned to putting papers and the like neatly into his briefcase.  


“Is business not doing well?” He inquired again.  


“I assure you, business is doing just fine.” She quipped. “Why do you ask?”  


“I assume that a café running out of something as simple as whole wheat bread in the middle of the afternoon during a lunch rush would have financial struggles to blame. Hence the reason for my question; is business not doing well?”  


Of all the asinine, rude and downright hurtful things that has been said to her, and she’s heard her fair share of unpleasantries growing up an orphan, _this_ certainly took the cake. Or at least, offended her deeply seeing as the man was insulting the one thing in her life that gave her purpose. The one thing she worked so hard to attain. The one thing that gave her future hope! She felt the tickle of rage make its way from the tightness in her chest to the corners of her eyes.  


_No! I will not cry in front of this monster!_  


Who did this jackass think he was?!  


“Excuse me but were you dropped on your head as an infant?” Rey seethed.   


Professor Solo’s eyes snapped up and fixed his eyes onto hers.  


“I beg your pardon?” His voice monotone, Adam’s apple bouncing slightly as he answered her in slight disbelief.  


“You heard me.” She enunciated each word. “Were you, or were you not, dropped on your head as an infant?”  


“Look, I was only trying to—“  


“Completely insult me, my business and my management skills?! I don’t know who you think you are mister high-and-mighty but I can assure you that my business is doing just fine! Splendid, actually and if you maybe just tasted it, you’d see that it was even better on a croissant than on plain old boring whole wheat and would be _even better_ with the cranberry mayonnaise instead of the pesto one. Oh! And with hickory smoked bacon…which is how the ‘Craitberry Sandwich’ comes! The sweet and the salty work brilliantly together with the buttery flakiness of the croissant and the bitter bite of the arugula but nooo you had to change it mister ‘my-way-is-better-than yours’!”  


He just stared at her. His eyes reading a mixture between bewilderment and amusement with a slight hint of something else Rey couldn’t quite name. His gaze flickered down briefly to her mouth which was currently pressed into a hard line, her brows furrowed and breaths coming rapidly in and out of her freckle dusted button nose. The intimidating professor met her eyes once more.

He didn’t respond.  


Rey swallowed and continued to look dead at him, refusing to lose the intense awkward staring contest they seemed to be having.  


“That’s a lot of odd names you have for me.” He finally stated, his lips lifting ever so slightly at the corners.  


“I could think of another one.” She returned, deadpan.  


Professor Solo finally lowered his eyes to his feet and shuffled them slightly.  


“Ben.” He finally offered softly.  


“What?” Rey asked, annoyance clearly still at the edge of her tone.  


“Ben.  My name is Ben.”  


“We’ve just had a spat in the middle of your classroom over a sandwich at 1:30 pm on a Friday afternoon and now you’re telling me your name? I’ve delivered your lunch 100 times, why are you suddenly feeling the need for introductions?”  


_What is wrong with this guy?!_  


“Because I want to keep receiving lunch deliveries from you. And I seemed to have insulted you greatly and for that I apologize.”   


He didn’t look sorry but something in his eyes said that his words held some semblance of truth. “Plus, I can’t very well have you keep putting ‘mister’ in front of an insulting phrase as my name each and every time you address me. You’ll find that you’ll soon run out of adjectives.”  


Rey looked back up at him and she saw the small smirk grace his pale features. Rey softened slightly.  


“Ben.” She tasted his name in her mouth. “I’m Rey.”  


“Ray? As in Ray of Sunshine?”  


Rey stared at him in confusion.  


“Ya know… ‘I pray for Sunshine, through a window of broken glass…’  


_What was he even talking about?_  


“Ronald J Chapman…The poet?” He offered like she was supposed to know who that was.  


_Ah. Poetry._  


“No I’m afraid I don’t know him.”  


If he was disappointed, he didn’t show it.  


“No it’s Rey. With an ‘E’. Like Bey-once. But with an ‘R’”. Sure her name was slightly unorthodox but what was wrong with different anyway? Besides, Rey was very used to this question.  


“That’s a terrible analogy.” He half snickered, the sides of his plush lips pulling upwards slightly.  


Rey shrugged but returned his halfhearted attempt at a smile with a small one of her own.  


For a moment, neither of them spoke. They just stood regarding each other in an odd silence that neither of them knew how to fill.  


He cleared his throat to break the tension.  


“What do you have there?” He asked awkwardly, staring down at the basket she carried.  


“Oh! Um, just some goodies and treats for add-ons if anybody wanted something sweet.”  


“Got anything with dark chocolate? I’ve always been drawn to the dark.”  


She eyed his black attire he wore that only seemed to garnish his brooding personality.  


_I’m sure you have._  


“I have…” Rey rifled through the basket and pulled out the one she was searching for “…dark chocolate decadence muffin, made this morning.”  


“Sounds…uh…decadent.” Ben stated. A hint of something menacing trapped in that intense gaze.  


Rey offered a light chuckle at his dim attempt at making up for his inexcusable behavior only moments ago.  


She turned to head back toward the door but before she opened it to leave, turned around to face him once more. His eyes looked as if they had been fixed somewhere south of her shoulders but north of her heels.  


Rey tossed the saran wrapped muffin to the tall man with broad shoulders, dark hair, and matching dark eyes, dressed almost all in black who caught it with ease.  


“On the house ‘mister only-seems-to-eat-dark-breads-and-dark-muffins-to-match-his-dark-wardrobe-and-even-darker-soul.”  


Once more, the ghost of a small smile worked its way across his lips.  


“Ben.” He offered once more.  


“Ben.” She repeated in acknowledgement.  


He gestured toward her with his hand, still clasping the muffin.  


“Nice to meet you…Reyonce.”  


Rey raised an eyebrow and tried not to smile. She allowed her hazel eyes to look once more into his rich brown orbs and then slowly turned around and made her way out of the lecture hall, letting the door close softly behind her.  


Once outside, the afternoon sun warmed her skin, still cool from the brick building’s over use of air conditioning, like Persephone returning from the underworld. Only instead of a pomegranate, it had been a dark chocolate, freshly baked muffin, and instead of the God of the Underworld, it was the head of the English Department of a University. Not Hades but—  


_‘Ben’._

**Author's Note:**

> The poem that Ben is referring to is a Ray Of Sunshine by Ronald J Chapman. 
> 
> Kudo's and comments are greatly appreciated!


End file.
